In the race for governor, four Democrats and two Republicans made it on the ballot successfully. On the Democratic side, we’ve covered their positions on gun control before, except for Sen. Tony Williams who was not in the race at the time. His last NRA rating was D – hardly a friend to the Second Amendment in Pennsylvania.

In the category of Lieutenant Governor, there was only one noteworthy surprise. State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe filed rather unexpectedly for the office on the Republican side. Both Democrats and Republicans have already endorsed in the race, and that support usually brings with it access to party support. This morning, Rep. Metcalfe is expected to formally launch his bid for Lt. Gov. at the State Capitol today. While Rep. Metcalfe has been a dedicated friend to gun owners, with the late start, a general lack of name recognition statewide to the broader electorate, and lack of a party endorsement, his campaign will likely be an uphill battle. That might explain why he has also filed paperwork to run for his state house seat again at the same time.

In Congress, the competitive races fill up pages on the candidate list. Consider that the race to oust Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper includes a two-way primary on the Democratic side and a six-way competition on the Republican side. Over in the Southwest, the competition to take former Rep. John Murtha’s seat has a new set of twists and turns. After Mark Critz won his party’s support for the special election to fill the rest of the term, former Treasurer Barbara Hafer announced she would still challenge him in the primary for the election in November. However, after filing the paperwork last night to be on the ballot, she has already dropped out this morning. Regardless, that still leaves a four-way race for the Democratic nomination and two-way competition for the GOP nomination in the 12th District.

In PA-8, Rep. Patrick Murphy has lined up four Republican challengers, two of whom have been recognized by the NRCC for meeting high campaign benchmarks. In PA-13, the quest to unseat Rep. Allyson Schwartz has three GOP candidates on the ballot. The two counties comprising the district split on their endorsements and a third candidate stayed in the race to take advantage of the split. In PA-19, Rep. Todd Platts has challengers on both tickets, but he is expected to keep the seat.

Though some seats are considered extremely safe based on general popularity of the incumbent or makeup of the local electorate, it is noteworthy that only one Congressional seat has no challengers at all this year – that is PA-9 represented by Rep. Bill Shuster.

In the state house, there are few surprises. We’ve covered the retirements fairly thoroughly. And we’ll try to do a detailed breakdown for each area soon. But, a quick check shows that some of our friends aren’t being challenged while others are. The seats with the most names on the ballot are House districts 194, 195 and 199 and Senate district 22. The first two each have seven Democrats and a single Republican while the latter House district has seven Republicans and one Democrat. The Senate district also has seven Democrats with one lone Republican.

Right now, eyes are focused on PA-12. Deceased Congressman John Murtha was a dedicated advocate for the Second Amendment, and many of his possible replacements are unknowns. Last weekend, local Democratic activists selected longtime aide Mark Critz to run for the special election to complete the term, and they will likely back him during the primary election to be held the same day. However, the Democratic state committee is expected to meet today to issue the formal endorsement for the special election seat, and that may not be Critz. Though he has local support, the state officials may opt for someone else to appear on the ballot with local support.

On the Republican side, local party leaders will meet on Thursday to select a candidate for the special election, and presumably give party support for the primary election. Unlike the Democratic Party, the state leaders in the GOP cannot override the local decision.

Beyond the the southwest corner, there are other races heating up. PoliticsPA has started a new feature to examine the competitiveness of various Congressional races each month. The race for PA-12 is considered only the fourth most competitive race. Their predicted hotbed of activity? PA-7, the seat vacated by Congressman Joe Sestak.

For known incumbents, gun owners in PA-11 will have their hands full with the race featuring pro-gun Congressman Paul Kanjorski. Early polling indicates he is very weak and may be defeated. Up in the northwest corner, Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper will face a big challenge. In a record year for Democrats in 2008, she just squeezed out a 7,000 vote victory over the incumbent representative. This year may be the best chance to oust this F-rated freshman in PA-3.

At little closer to the Southeast, we have the 7th, 8th, and 9th most competitive races with PA-15 (pro-gun Congressman Charlie Dent), PA-8 (with leaning anti-gun Congressman Patrick Murphy), and PA-6 (with pro-gun Congressman Jim Gerlach). These are vital races for Pennsylvania gun owners, and we need to turn out long before election day to make sure the right men and women take office.

While most campaigns are wrapping up their signature collection efforts, there are still plenty of activities for those looking to give a little of their time in support of the Second Amendment. If you want to help out, just contact us and we’ll let you know what is going on in your area.

UPDATE: The Democratic Party has formally selected Mark Critz to run in the special election on May 18 to fulfill the rest of his boss’s term. It is expected that he will have challengers for the other election that day – the primary election for the regular November election.

Today, anti-hunting, animal “rights” forces met in Harrisburg to rally against organized bird shoots in the Keystone State.

Bird shooting is an historic and legitimate activity steeped in tradition with many participants throughout the Commonwealth and around the world. For more than one hundred years, shoots have been held in Pennsylvania by law-abiding, ethical shooting enthusiasts, hunters, and sportsmen who would not tolerate an activity that would constitute cruelty to animals.

National animal “rights” extremist groups, led by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), have organized and funded efforts in Pennsylvania and around the country to ban this longstanding traditional shooting sport. Make no mistake; this isn’t just about banning bird shooting, but banning all hunting species by species.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that you contact your State Legislators and respectfully urge them to protect Pennsylvania’s rich hunting traditions by opposing any attempts by these radical and deceptive groups to outlaw hunting. Please click here to contact your lawmakers.

Philadelphia spent resources signing onto a brief arguing that the Supreme Court should not force states and local governments to honor the Constitution, requesting that any rights to self-defense and arms be “minimized.” Philadelphia’s two prominent Congressmen, Reps. Bob Brady and Chakah Fattah, are siding with the city and Chicago in support of the handgun ban.

On the side of the Constitution, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Tom Corbett and 15 state lawmakers have argued that the Second Amendment is an important individual right and should be respected by state and local governments.

Two of us will attend the hearing, though we do not expect to be seated for the actual case. You can find full coverage of this history-making event on our Twitter feed, @PAGunRights. You can also get regular updates through NRA News.

Here are the laws the Brady Campaign likes in Pennsylvania:

• Restricted private sales of handguns
• State registry of firearms sales
• Mandate for gun locks with handguns
• State universities are allowed to ban lawful possession by licensed, of age gun owners

They don’t like that Philadelphia can’t ban guns due to statewide preemption. They want to bring discretionary licensing like New Jersey to Pennsylvania. They want to ban semi-automatic rifles and magazines of various sizes. The Brady Campaign wants to ban all firearms use by children as old at 17 – no more Boy Scout merit badges for shooting or taking your grandchild on his or her first hunt. They want to mandate a federal background check every time you purchase ammunition and require that records be kept to track who buys even a box of .22. The group also wants to create a costly “ballistic fingerprinting” database – versions of which have shown absolutely no use in solving crimes in New York and Maryland. Of course, they also plan to push for the usual bans on all private sales and import New Jersey’s permit to purchase system that often delays gun owners for 6 months or more to Pennsylvania.

To put our laws and grade in context, look to their grade of Massachusetts as a guide. They rated Massachusetts as a 54 – an F. The Bay State has discretionary firearms ownership licensing. If a gun owner inadvertently ends up on a police chief’s bad side on the day he or she applies for a license to own a rifle or handgun, they could be rejected. Massachusetts requires a gun license to even possess pepper spray. If you take a new shooter to the range, they cannot collect relics of their day in the form of inert brass casings without a gun license. In effect, there is no right to own a firearm in Massachusetts, and yet the Brady Campaign still considers it to be a failing state.

Federal Offices

PA-15
Representative Charlie Dent has been an ally of gun owners for years, but he’s got a top-tier challenger backed by the Washington, DC Democrats and President Barack Obama. His challenger, John Callahan, is currently funded by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a coordinated effort to undermine preemption of gun laws in Pennsylvania and undo the key Supreme Court decision that ensures our laws are consistent throughout the state. He works closely with a lobbyist for the Brady Campaign to promote more gun control at the local level.

If we don’t re-elect Rep. Dent, we’ll see an A rated seat flip to F overnight.

PA-12
An initial look at early names dropped for the seat appeared very bright for gun owners, but question marks linger. Since that early peek, more names have been mentioned as likely competitors and some have already removed themselves from the race. Unfortunately, a good number of the names floated have no record on our Second Amendment rights. Until candidates are finalized by party leaders, we may not know whether gun owners have a friend in the race.

This previously A rated seat may be headed into unknown territory unless gun owners call their respective political party leaders and let them know that any nominee for the special election to replace Rep. John Murtha should share his dedication to our rights.

State Offices

Senate District 14
With the retirement of Senator Ray Musto, a previously A rated seat is now up for grabs. There are two known Democratic candidates who are running for the seat, one who has a record in support of our rights and another who is working with anti-gun forces. State Rep. John Yudichak is an A rated and previously endorsed lawmaker with an eye on the seat. His primary challenger is Tom Leighton who, like one previously mentioned candidate, is also working with NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg to undermine preemption of gun laws and undo a major Supreme Court decision on the matter. Leighton also works closely with the Brady Campaign lobbyist in this effort.

Senate District 22
The retirement of Senator Bob Mellow is particularly noteworthy for gun owners across the state. As the highest ranking Democrat in the State Senate, his support for the Second Amendment made him a powerful ally within the Senate and his party. With an A- rating, a flip of his seat to an anti-gun candidate would be tremendous loss. Among candidate names floated so far, this seat could upgrade to an A or downgrade to an extremely anti-gun candidate.

State Rep. Jim Wansacz currently holds an A rating and has declared his candidacy for the seat. However, since Chris Doherty has abandoned his gubernatorial run and in an effort to take the Senate seat, this will be a hot primary race for gun owners. Doherty has called for an end to preemption of gun laws in the state, meaning your concealed carry license may no longer be valid from town to town and various types of guns may be banned in different cities. He also wants to limit the number of firearms gun owners may purchase, and presumably, create a registry to track such sales in accordance with the policy he is pushing.

11 House Seats
Due to retirements, efforts to reach higher office, and early resignations, there are 11 seats open that have been previously rated A or higher. Those who run for these seats are usually political newcomers or in offices that have little to do with Second Amendment and hunting issues. As usual, NRA-ILA will send out questionnaires to the candidates to get them on the record. However, the final list of candidates won’t be available until after petitions have been returned to appropriate election officials.

How to Help

There are three key ways to support pro-gun candidates right now.

1. The easiest way is to donate money, especially if they have a primary battle for their party’s nomination. Those elections are now three months out, so there is not much time to spare in order to raise money and get word out quickly.
2. The cheapest way to help a candidate is to volunteer your time.  Beginning today, candidates need to collect signatures in order to get on the ballot, and those deadlines are approaching.  Lending a few hours of your time is highly valuable to a campaign, and it costs you nothing.
3. The minimum effort gun owners need to put out right now is letting their friends and family members know who to support.  Make sure everyone is registered to vote, and make sure they know who you are voting for in the next election.  If you won’t open your wallet or donate your time, gun owners must absolutely open their mouths to promote candidates to everyone they know in the district.

These races show that we’re at risk here in Pennsylvania.  If we end up filling pro-gun seats with anti-gun candidates, the next big attack on gun rights will happen right here in the Keystone State.  It’s up to us to make sure that these candidates who loathe our Second Amendment rights are sent to the curb, and these seats remain in pro-Second Amendment hands.  Don’t put your hunting and gun rights on the line this year.

Here are a few tips for organizing and delivering a message at city council meetings based on recent observations of local activists at work:

• Organize with other gun owners as much as possible before the event. First, it increases likely turnout when gun owners know there will be others there to back them up and they are part of a team. Second, you can divide the arguments. Finally, there is power in numbers. Whether you can recruit from your gun club, an email to friends and family, or on online forums (such as the state-specific Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association), try to convince folks to come out even if they sit silently in support of our rights. Don’t forget about relevant non-residents who might have standing to speak – business owners, employees in town, and those who also visit and spend money in the area.
• Dress accordingly. Not every speaker needs to dressed to the nines, but double check that your clothes are clean and appropriate. Remember that the underlying message you’re trying to send is that you’re an average resident and taxpayer who is concerned about the direction of city government getting into areas where they are not legally allowed to legislate. Just look neighborly.
• For those willing to speak, divide your arguments by topic. Assign one speaker to tackle each of your primary arguments to the fullest extent possible in only a few minutes. This means each topic can be discussed at a deeper level in the limited time allotted for each speaker in many government meetings. It also minimizes redundancy which could make leaders tune out remarks. Consider working to review each other’s prepared remarks to make sure each point is tackled.
• If you do have help from out-of-towners, try to keep the core arguments limited to residents. If the anti-gun leaders want to shut down debate, they will aim to limit it to residents only. They may not realize how many gun owners actually live in town.
• If you’re not used to speaking in public, write out your statement and print it in an easy-to-read format. It’s better to read well crafted remarks and stay on point than risk rambling on about other topics off the cuff. If you want to improve your presentation skills, practice at home in front of a video camera. Watching yourself speak on video is a harsh lesson, but it is the most honest assessment of both bad and good habits.
• Don’t forget to identify yourself and how you are related to the community. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to introduce yourself, but it is often required in town meetings and it serves to advance the argument that there are gun owners all around who want their rights respected.
• If you have several arguments to make on a topic, number them in your remarks. It will let councillors know that you have a well-developed argument that should be easier to follow. If time begins to run out, it also gives them a polite way to ask you to quickly make the rest of your points.
• Don’t fight with city leaders. If gun control is brought up at all, it is likely because there is at least one anti-gun leader on the board. Understand that they are likely to try and defend their legislation. At best, you may want to politely rebut any stinging arguments, but do not try to pick a fight with them. Choose your battles wisely.
• Don’t fight with the anti-gun leaders in the audience. We know 99% of what they will say in advance. There’s a very good chance that in your efforts to divide arguments, gun owners will have made the factual arguments that defeat their emotional pleas. Unless a new argument is made, don’t worry about getting up to argue again and again.
• Stick with the relevant facts. As inspiring as it may feel to talk about the importance of the Second Amendment, most local leaders don’t really think about their responsibility to respect the federal Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, until we end up with a favorable result in McDonald, the argument doesn’t hold much legal weight, either. While a lofty reference or two for inspiration won’t derail your argument, keep the focus on immediate concerns they – and other residents – can identify with.
• Look to other city issues that can supplement your arguments. For example, with a major pothole problem, is it really in the city’s best interest to spend money on a gun control measure that’s likely to be struck down? Remind them that as much as gun control might “feel good” to them, there are bigger local issues that must be dealt with at the moment. Whether it comes in the form of potholes, schools, or taxes, most towns have more pressing needs on their agenda than gun control.

Perhaps the most important tip in all of this is to stay in touch with those who turn out and help. Connect online again – use Facebook, PAFOA, or even just have business cards with your email address to share. Maybe grab some coffee or hit the range with your new fellow activists. Don’t forget that while we’re always trying to defend our rights, most of us were attracted to this issue because we truly enjoy the sports and the other people in the movement.

Though some may wonder why the political game is starting in high gear so soon after his passing, it’s mainly due to unfortunate timelines in Pennsylvania’s election laws. The governor must declare a date for a special election within 10 days that takes place at least 60 days out from the announcement. Though he has not made an official statement, it is expected that Gov. Rendell will opt to schedule it on the same day as primary elections – May 18.

This sets up an interesting election for voters in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. Party officials will have to decide on the candidates who run in the special election. Due to the approaching deadlines for filing needed paperwork, it is expected that these decisions will be made quickly. However, because the seat would have been up for grabs in November anyway, there still needs to be a primary election for the regularly scheduled November race. In effect, voters will elect someone to fill the seat and vote for the same candidate in their respective primary races. The candidates will have two campaigns to run this year.

Based on reports from political reporters, here are some of the names that have been dropped from each party and candidates who were previously planning a run at the seat:

Democrat
Mark Singel – Previously A- rated in 1990, though his final NRA rating could not be quickly located.
Sen. John Wozniak – A rated
Sen. Richard Kasunic – A+ rated
Ron Mackell Jr. – unknown
Ryan Buccianeri – unknown
Bracken Burns – unknown
Vince Zapotosky – unknown
Barbara Hafer – Previously A rated in 1990, though her final NRA rating could not be quickly located.
Tom Ceraso – unknown
Joyce Murtha – unknown
Ed Cernic – unknown
Mark Critz – unknown

Republican
Bill Russell – A rated
Sen. Kim Ward – A rated
Rep. Dave Reed – A rated
Rep. Jeff Pyle – A+ rated
Diana Irey – A rated
Tim Burns – unknown
Mark Pasquerilla – unknown

Political observers have now reclassified this seat as a toss-up.

UPDATE: PoliticsPA has specifics on how candidates from each party must be chosen:

Party rules for Democrats and Republicans will determine how the special election candidate is selected. For Republicans, each county committee in the district will be assigned a certain number of conferees to send to the selection meeting. The conferees will vote to decide who becomes the party’s candidate.

For Democrats, the county committees in the 12th Districts will meet to recommend a candidate to the state party’s 50-member executive committee. The executive committee, comprising members from across Pennsylvania, will decide whether to endorse a candidate.

They also report on more names in the running that have been added to the lists.

Date:
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Doors open at 6:00pm

Location:
Crystal Tea Room-Wanamaker Building
One Hundred Penn Square East, Ninth Floor

Candidates Attending:
United States Senate – Peg Luksik, Pat Toomey
Pennsylvania Governor – Tom Corbett, Sam Rohrer
Additional offices represented:

• Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor
• 1st Congressional District
• 2nd Congressional District
• 6th Congressional District
• 7th Congressional District
• 8th Congressional District
• 13th Congressional District

Details:
Cash Bar
Business Casual Attire
RSVP – pamelawarren1@comcast.net

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato started the series of gun control promises by calling for a statewide so-called “lost and stolen” law. He apparently doesn’t mind that the legislation would change the justice system into one in which gun owners are guilty until proven innocent. Prosecutors could financially ruin gun owners as they try to prove themselves innocent. Onorato continued by pledging to support “child safety locks,” though he declined to explain whether his version of the legislation would mandate the sale of locks to increase gun prices or challenge the ruling of Heller by forcing gun owners to lock their guns at home. Finally, Onorato unveiled his most controversial plan for gun control – ending state preemption in Pennsylvania.

Under Onorato’s dismantling of state authority on gun laws, concealed carry permit holders could be arrested if they visit Philadelphia. Hunters heading to their favorite tree stand in the next county may find that their favorite hunting rifles are banned. Every time a gun owner crosses a city limit, he or she may be in violation of a local ordinance that could lead to arrest and cost them their rights.

Of course, Onorato told reporters at his campaign launch that any perception of a pro-rights record was a “mischaracterization.” I don’t think most gun owners would have realized how much of mischaracterization that really was!

Next, Auditor General Jack Wagner dodged most state policy issues on gun rights – save one. Unfortunately for gun owners, it was a very, very big issue. Wagner, while claiming to support the Second Amendment, stated his support for a ban on semi-automatic rifles. These are not machine guns, but average rifles that gun owners often take into the field for hunting or to the range for competition. He did not explain whether his support for such a ban would include confiscation for those already owned.

Third in line, Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty joined Onorato in his support of ending state preemption. In fact, this was actually the priority pledge in his debate response. Clearly, he hasn’t heard that a recent poll showed 56% of Pennsylvanians support preemption of gun laws. His other priority, should he take office, is to restrict sales of guns to only one per month. Collectors would no longer be allowed to by matching sets. The only way to track such sales would also mean the formal creation of a gun owner registry in Pennsylvania.

Finally, Joe Hoeffel, the candidate running farther left than most of the others kept his answer as essentially all of the above. Specifically, he named these priorities: gun sales limits (and presumably the registry needed to track such sales), lost and stolen legislation, mandatory locks (though again without clarification on whether this applies to sales or storage), and the end of state preemption. In addition to the previously discussed issues, Hoeffel also supports a ban on private sales of firearms in Pennsylvania. Selling the rifle that collects dust in the back of the safe to a trusted family member will become a criminal act in Pennsylvania if Joe Hoeffel has his way.

Gun owners, particularly those who are registered as Democrats, need to speak out to these candidates. The primary race is close, and there is no clear winner. Make sure these candidates know that their support of gun control will cost them votes at the ballot box.

“This summer, the Court will decide whether Chicago’s guns laws are constitutional. The case could affect or open the door to countless — and needless — legal challenges to local and state gun laws across the country. Today, we stand here on behalf of the people of Chicago and the United States who have been victims of gun violence, on behalf of their families and loved ones and on behalf of all those who believe Chicago’s current gun law is constitutional,” Daley said.

Daley added later, “America rose up about smoking…why can’t we have America rise up against gun violence?”

The Chicago Sun-Times also reports that Mayor Nutter adamantly stated that “[t]he NRA is out of control.” One can presume that he also means to argue the 4 million members, more than half a million of which are in Pennsylvania, are “out of control” for merely asking him to recognize their basic human right to defend one’s life and family.

The press conference served to promote the brief previously filed by the mayors asking the Supreme Court to “minimize” the right to self-defense.

But what does a special Senate election in Massachusetts have to do with local politics in Pennsylvania? Quite a lot, actually.

The anticipated struggle of incumbents and mood that independents may continue to break right-of-center this year means that retirements will likely kick into high gear over the next month or two. Already, we have witnessed the announcements of a handful of NRA A or A+ rated incumbents who will not seek re-election in the fall.

• Speaker of the House Keith McCall (D-122)
• Rep. Paul Clymer (R-105)
• Rep. Merle Phillips (R-108)
• Rep. Russ Fairchild (R-85)
• Rep. Katie True (R-41)
• Rep. Will Gabig (R-199)
• Rep. Don Walko (D-20)
• Rep. Craig Dally (R-138)
• Rep. Rich Grucela (D-137)
• Sen. Ray Musto (D-14)

Some may be retiring hoping that their seat is more likely to stay in the hands of their current party.  Others may anticipate challenges during either a primary or general election.  Regardless, the retirement announcements are not likely to let up anytime soon. At least three anti-gun incumbents also plan to leave office in 2010.

The Pennsylvania election calendar gives incumbents some time to delay their announcements into the new year. Nominating petitions (to run on a party primary ballot) are not due until early March. If more incumbents get nervous, expect to see more retirement announcements through the next few weeks.

In order to make sure the seats listed above stay in pro-gun hands, we’re going to need volunteers for campaigns in each of the districts. Please contact your local EVC to find out how you can contribute.

UPDATE: Word now comes that pro-gun Rep. Paul Clymer will run for re-election.

UPDATE II: And the retirements continue with Sen. Ray Musto and Rep. Will Gabig, two A rated voices in Harrisburg.

UPDATE III: Thanks to collective efforts in the political blogosphere, we believe we’ve rounded out the list as of the end of January. This list now includes Reps. Don Walko, Craig Dally, and Rich Grucela. All held A ratings from NRA.

Ever since Massachusetts Senate candidate Scott Brown launched his $500,000 money bomb day that turned into a million-dollar money bomb week, pundits have noted the “enthusiasm gap” between Sen. Brown and his rival, Attorney General Martha Coakley. You can read the articles, or you can see it visualized in this video:

Enthusiasm doesn’t always result in electoral success. However, it can make a difference in inspiring others to get involved which reminds people to vote which gets them out to the polls. Make your enthusiasm for gun rights useful in 2010 and lend a hand to your local pro-gun candidates when you can.

The 2010 legislative session has started, with Congress and most states currently in session.

With the holidays now in our rearview mirrors, it is time to turn our energies toward our critically important legislative agenda and the 2010 elections. Much is on the line for our gun rights, our country, and our future. In recent election cycles, gun owners have enjoyed great successes. But none of our victories have happened by accident. It takes careful, long-term, advance planning to ensure victory for the Second Amendment on Election Day, as well as in the legislative arena. In order for us to meet the inevitable challenges and opportunities we will face this year, our preparation must begin now.

As in every election year, two things will win this year’s elections for gun owners — votes and volunteers. And no pro-Second Amendment candidate can do without both. Be assured, the anti-gun crowd is hoping you don’t turn out in support of, or volunteer for, our candidates.

If you are not currently registered to vote, or if you have recently moved, please make sure you register to vote at once. And please ensure every one of your family, friends, and fellow firearm owners are registered voters as well. For information on voter registration requirements, deadlines, and applications for your state, contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683), or visit here.

The second part of our formula for electoral success is actively volunteering your time to the campaigns of candidates who support our rights. This is where your NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) becomes integral to our efforts. Your EVC is an NRA member — just like you — who spearheads our volunteer campaign activities in your congressional district. For more than 15 years, EVCs have been acting as the liaisons between NRA members and gun owners in their districts and various pro-freedom campaigns. The main role of an EVC is to provide these campaigns with dedicated, educated volunteers to assist with phone banks, literature drops, precinct walks, voter registration drives, Election Day activities, and other volunteer campaign activities. Your EVC is also your local point of contact to assist with NRA-ILA’s legislative agendas at the federal, state, and local levels. This year’s elections are critical, but we must also remain vigilant in defending our gun rights from inevitable legislative attacks.

Even if you can spare only a few hours here and there, your EVC needs to hear from you. To identify and contact your EVC, please click here, or call ILA Grassroots at (800) 392-VOTE (8683). Please do not hesitate. Contact your EVC today!

While most congressional districts are currently covered by an EVC, there are still vacancies we are trying to fill. Please click here to review the EVC vacancies in your state and help us find replacements. Spread the word to your fellow activists in these districts, educate them on the EVC program, and either have them contact their state Grassroots Coordinator directly, or pass their information along to your state’s Grassroots Coordinator, so he/she may follow up with these individuals to learn if they are interested and able to step into the breach and serve as an EVC. Remember, the more competent and active EVCs we have in districts across the country, the better prepared we all will be to achieve victory this year — politically and legislatively. If you are interested in serving as your district’s EVC, or want to learn more about the program, please visit ILA’s website, or contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots at (800) 392-VOTE (8683), and ask to speak to your state’s Grassroots Coordinator.

For us to succeed this year, our grassroots campaign battle plan needs to be in place NOW. There simply isn’t any time to spare.

In Pennsylvania, Election Volunteer Coordinators are needed in Congressional districts 1, 2, 4, 14, and 15.

The Congressional elections in districts 4 and 15 are expected to be very competitive, and gun owners may be particularly useful in making sure our interests remain represented. Even in Congressional districts considered safe, NRA members have the opportunity to make a difference in state elections for top offices, as well as local House & Senate seats.

If you’re in a different district, find your EVC here or here.

Incorporation would result in an unwarranted intrusion by the Federal Government into a field that falls exclusively within the States’ police powers. The States have a paramount interest in protecting their citizens and property from loss of life, injury and damage occasioned by violence and breach of peace. Even if each individual enjoys the right to bear at least some sort of arms for self-defense, the exercise of that right carries with it the risk of violence and breach of peace, which the States naturally would want to minimize for the good of the community as a whole. (emphasis added)

Is anyone surprised by a city that won’t follow state laws or pay attention to the state constitution wants a pass on individual rights, too? And for you uppity people who want the right to defend yourselves, well, they just need to make sure your rights are simply minimized.

Given the host organization, it is unlikely that Second Amendment or hunting policy questions will arise. However, with many of the Democratic candidates coming from local office backgrounds, voters may be interested in learning more about their positions on a variety of issues. If you would like to know more, tune in to the PSEA’s website from 10am-12pm tomorrow.

Yup, that’s it. Show up to the voting booth, push the button/pull the lever/fill in the oval, and remind your family to do the same.

That seems simple, right? Well, it usually is. Unfortunately, it looks like some folks in Virginia forgot about that important step in Tuesday’s special election to fill a state Senate seat.

… [The] point in the article was that just because the GOP won a major victory by sweeping all three statewide offices and picking up seats in the House of Delegates, you still have to do the work and turnout the vote. It is clear from the election returns that those inclined to support [NRA endorsed candidate Steve] Hunt simply did not show up at the polls yesterday in those areas where they could have made a difference – precincts that [A+ rated former Sen.] Ken Cuccinelli carried in 2007.

According to blogger Not Larry Sabato – Hunt flipped several precincts that Cuccinelli’s 2007 opponent carried but had little or no margin of victory in precincts that Cuccinelli carried. Hunt also was skunked in the absentee ballots, losing them by almost 500 votes in an election that he lost by a total of 317 votes.

The lesson Pascoe points out to the GOP rings true for gun owners as well. Every election is important and we must be engaged in those races where we can make a difference.

David Adams, president of the Virginia Shooting Sports Association & NRA-EVC in Virginia’s 7th District, continues to outline just what this means for Virginia’s gun owners.

• A previously A+ rated seat has now switched to F rated in the state Senate; and
• An open seat on the Senate Courts of Justice Committee which determines whether many of the pro- or anti- gun bills are released for a full Senate vote.

This is not good news for gun owners in Virginia.  Some might have forgotten it was the date of a special election, but that’s not going to help for the next session.  Since Virginia has off-year elections, they won’t vote on this seat again in 2010.  There’s no correcting the mistake until at least 2011.

In Pennsylvania, we have several special elections scheduled the same day as the primary election.  Make sure you show up so that our gun rights are not forgotten.

It’s really quite simple. Too much can change.

We’ll break news that’s relevant to gun owners, especially when there’s a record of either pro- or anti-gun actions or statements. In general, those stories will be relegated to the blog section of the website as opposed to the standing information pages. Keeping the standing “Candidates” information page updated with all of the changes is a little tough to do without a clear picture of the elections yet.

The most obvious example is this month’s change in the GOP gubernatorial primary when Congressman Jim Gerlach dropped his bid that would have pit him against Attorney General Tom Corbett. Both men are rated A by NRA-PVF and have repeatedly secured the endorsement of gun owners. We are aware of both men’s reputations, and we recognized when each stepped up to support the Second Amendment through briefs filed in the landmark McDonald case. We are also well aware of the recent addition to the race, A+ rated Rep. Sam Rohrer who hasn’t been mentioned recently because he was not one of the state legislator brief co-signers in McDonald.

On the Congressional front, there are some seats with nearly a dozen declared candidates! With the primary not scheduled until May and – more importantly – the filing deadlines not scheduled until March, it’s safe to assume that many declared candidates will not make it on the final ballot.

Perhaps more importantly, the number of seats for which there are competitive candidates may change. This week, we have learned that Speaker of the House Keith McCall will retire which brings with it the loss of a Western Pennsylvania A+ rated seat. In Bucks County, rumors are now swirling that A rated Rep. Paul Clymer will retire at the end of his term, opening another seat for more competition.

As soon as the candidate lists are final, we will update the page with the relevant information. But don’t expect any NRA-PVF endorsements at that time. With the exception of incumbents, NRA-PVF rarely endorses in primary races. However, if any candidates have a record or make statements between now and the primary, we’ll be here to report it.

As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like it to be. That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be — it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be. That means working in the system[...]

Our youth are impatient with the preliminaries that are essential to purposeful action. Effective organization is thwarted by the desire for instant and dramatic change, or as I have phrased it elsewhere the demand for revelation rather than revolution. It’s the kind of thing we see in play writing; the first act introduces the characters and the plot, in the second act the plot and characters are developed as the play strives to hold the audiences attention. In the final act good and evil have their dramatic confrontation and resolution. The present generation wants to go right into the third act, skipping the first two, in which case there is no play, nothing but confrontation for confrontation’s sake — a flare-up and back to darkness. To build a powerful organization takes time. It is tedious, but that’s the way the game is played — if you want to play and not just yell, “Kill the umpire.”

Elaborating on this a bit further, he speaks of the importance of creating a reformation in pubic opinion before major political change can happen:

We will start with the system, because there is no other place to start from except political lunacy. It is most important for those of us who want revolutionary change to understand the revolution must be preceeded by reformation. To assume that a political revolution can survive without the supporting base of a popular reformation is to ask for the impossible in politics.

Men don’t like to step abruptly out of the security of familiar experience; they need a bridge to cross from their own experience to a new way.

Alinsky was also a big fan of fighting today’s battles on today’s terms, and focusing on your battles right now, rather than fighting today the battles you should be fighting tomorrow. Politically speaking, this can be an important reminder.